Screen around a food plot?

[wisconsinteacher]

My plot is 1 acre in size and is shaped like and L. The long leg is 120 yards long and the shorter leg is 90 yards long. The plot is 25 yards wide. I'm thinking about planting the outer edge in switchgrass to create screening around the entire plot. My thoughts are to make the switchgrass about 3 yards wide, so I would loose about 1/10 of an acre of food for the deer. Do you think it is worth giving up 10% of the food for the screening to make deer more comfortable in the plot?

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Is the plot surrounded by open fields or woods?

 

[Stubborn1VT]

What are you screening the plot from?
I think there are many better options for screening than switch.
I would add structure to the plot unless you're screening for a specific reason.
I think you would end up losing more than 10% all told, and I don't think it's worth it.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

On the east side, I would be screening from the road that you can see cars drive down as you are looking from the plot to the road. The other sides would be from the woods (10 year old popular trees). If you stand back in the woods 10-20 yards, you can see into the plot when the leaves are gone.

 

[Electrodigical]

Been thinking about this myself (to some smaller degree). Can't decided if the screen would make them more comfortable or more nervous.

 

[omicron1792]

Consider just screening the road side. I would plant switch and giant miscanthus at the same time

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I would plant 2 rows of spruce trees along the road with switch behind it (or some other fast growing plant). I wouldn't add any screen along the woods edge, but I would thin it pretty heavily to let some sunlight hit the ground. You will have a tangled mess of annuals, briars and shrubs along with some young tree growth within a short period of time.

 

[Mortenson]

I had leftover RCbig and screened (seeded) 2 plots that are open on one side. Guessing it'll be ~15 ft wide when it comes up. Like mentioned, not sure if it'll help them feel more comfortable or make them more nervous. I could see it going either way. Just wanted to experiment a little, and have more cool stuff to look at while I'm in the stand getting skunked.

 

[BenA]

I've liked having my feathered edges. It gives good screening. I've watched deer just stand in the edge and feed around in it too.